2000
#6,914
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,477
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.66
Rare Last name
Chee
A Chinese occupational surname referring to a maker of carriages or carts.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,358 Americans carry the last name Chee. That puts it at #6,929 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 63,971 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Chee surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Chee with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.4K
1 in 63,971
Census rank
#6,929
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,672 bearers of the surname Chee in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6929th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Chee, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Chee
The surname CHEE is believed to have originated in China, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Chinese word "chi," meaning "lucky" or "auspicious." This surname was particularly common in the Guangdong province of southern China, where many early bearers of the name resided.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the CHEE surname can be found in the Ming Dynasty archives, where a scholar named CHEE Xiansheng was mentioned for his contributions to literature and philosophy. During the Qing Dynasty, a renowned artist named CHEE Zhongshan gained recognition for his intricate landscape paintings, which are now preserved in various museums across China.
In the 18th century, a merchant named CHEE Guanfeng played a significant role in establishing trade routes between China and Southeast Asia, facilitating the export of silk and porcelain. His successful business ventures contributed to the spread of the CHEE surname across the region.
As Chinese immigrants began to settle in various parts of the world, the CHEE surname could be found in different countries. In Malaysia, a prominent figure named CHEE Swee Hee (1916-1999) made his mark as a successful businessman and philanthropist, establishing several educational institutions and contributing to the development of the nation.
Another notable bearer of the CHEE surname was CHEE Soon Juan (1924-2007), a Singaporean politician and diplomat who served as the country's ambassador to several nations and played a crucial role in shaping Singapore's foreign policy during the early years of its independence.
In the United States, CHEE Kung Tong (1887-1957) was a renowned herbalist and practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, who gained recognition for his expertise in treating various ailments and promoting holistic healing practices.
The CHEE surname has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout history. For example, the village of Chee Keng in Malaysia was named after an early settler with the CHEE surname, reflecting the influence and presence of this family in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Chee
Among Census respondents with the surname Chee, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Chee bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Chee surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- American Indian and Alaska Native49.1% · 2,296
- Asian and Pacific Islander37.0% · 1,730
- Two or more races5.0% · 235
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 188
- White3.9% · 183
- Black or African American0.9% · 40
Timeline
Historical Census data for Chee
Chee appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,784
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,973
+496 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Up 130 places
2020
#6,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,672
-301 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 1.56
Rank movement Down 145 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,914 | 4,477 | 1.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,784 | 4,973 | 1.69 | +496 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 130 places |
| 2020 | #6,929 | 4,672 | 1.56 | -301 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 145 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Chee surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,784 | #6,929 | -2.1% |
| Count | 4,973 | 4,672 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 1.69 | 1.56 | -7.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Chee bearers went from 4,973 to 4,672 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 145 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,784 to #6,929.
FAQ
Chee surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Chee?
Name Census estimates that about 5,358 living Americans carry the surname Chee. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 63,971 residents.
How common is Chee?
Chee ranks #6,929 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,672 people with the surname Chee. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,358), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Chee.
Has Chee become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Chee went from 4,973 recorded bearers to 4,672. That is a decrease of 301 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,784 to #6,929.
What does the Census say about the background of Chee?
Among Census respondents with the surname Chee, the largest self-reported group is American Indian/Alaska Native at 49.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (37.0%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
American Indian/Alaska Native is the largest self-reported group for the surname Chee in the 2020 Census, accounting for 49.1% (2,296 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Chee appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are American Indian/Alaska Native (49.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (37.0%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Chee (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Chee mean?
A Chinese occupational surname referring to a maker of carriages or carts. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Chee (1.56 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Chee?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Chee on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.